There is nothing quite like sealing a place in the knockout phase of the UEFA Champions League to send a team into the weekend with a spring in its step.

That is the case for Borussia Dortmund, which swept Ajax aside 4-1 on Wednesday and confirmed that it is indeed a force to be reckoned with in Europe. It has been a different story in the Bundesliga, however, with the reigning champion in fourth place on 22 points, nine points adrift of runaway leader Bayern Munich heading into Saturday's game.

The club's form since the 2-2 draw with Real Madrid on Oct. 10 has been encouraging, though, and back-to-back 3-1 wins over Augsburg and Greuther Furth leave BVB in fine form.

Mainz is enjoying a positive season of its own, and after finishing 13th in the league last season, the hosts sit in a respectable eighth place - just five behind Jurgen Klopp's side.

The visitors will be without Lars Bender who misses out with a nose injury, while Patrick Owomoyela continues his rehabilitation from surgery on a troublesome calf problem.